Dec. 18.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2305

involving the use of more than one principle ; and exercises intended to test skill and rapidity in the manipulation of figures should be set only in parts of the subject that are certainly familiar and easy to the pupil. In mental arithmetic, short methods, depending on proportion—e.g., price per dozen is a shilling for every penny each, 5 per cent. is a shilling in every pound—are to be encouraged, but the work is not to be limited to cases to which such methods are applicable. In any standard class questions in arithmetic may be set with a view of ascertaining whether care has been taken to keep up and revise the earlier parts of the subject.

In history the pupils will not be required to learn more than about a dozen dates, or to answer questions on more than about twenty-five persons and events for any one standard ; nor will they be expected to trace the remote causes, or even to remember the proximate causes, of great events. What is wanted is a clear view of a few prominent persons and salient facts so exhibited as to afford glimpses of the conditions in which our ancestors lived at successive periods of our national history, and to establish in the mind an outline that may be filled in by later reading. A child may have a vivid idea of royal authority prone to excess, and of the status of a baron, and of the political insignificance of the common people at the beginning of the thirteenth century, without knowing the contents of Magna Charta, or all the incidents of the feudal tenure. The manner in which the whole outline is treated in the definition of history for the Third Standard is an indication of the bold and general treatment contemplated by the department in prescribing periods for study in the later standards.

The elementary science prescribed in the syllabus is called “ elementary science ” because that term is used in “ The Education Act, 1877 ” : its scope is often misunderstood by critics of the Act and of the syllabus, who think that the children are being “ crammed with all the 'ologies.” But the term is to be taken as denoting such a knowledge of conspicuous natural phenomena as constitutes a general basis of the particular knowledge of separate sciences. Children are capable of understanding why a scientific man does not regard a whale as a fish, or a spider as an insect. A few well-chosen experiments will suffice to give them a definite idea of the difference between chemical combination and mechanical mixture. A few other experiments with a cheap and simple galvanic battery and an electro-magnet will afford means of explaining to them in a very useful if not a very complete way the operation of the electric telegraph. Instruction of this kind suited to their present stage of development will serve to enlarge their conceptions of the world and to quicken their intelligence—perhaps to stimulate a profitable curiosity, and to create in some young minds a bias towards scientific pursuits. Ohms and volts, atomic weight, the vascular system, and such high matters in general, are out of the reach of the ordinary primary-school pupil, however desirable it may be that the teacher have some real knowledge of them.

In examining in elementary science, or in the subject-matter of object-lessons and natural-history lessons, or in geography and history, the Inspector may, if the teacher presents a book containing the notes of the lessons that have been actually given, base his examination on the contents of the note-book. He may also inspect any exercise-books in which the pupils have entered composition exercises founded on the lessons they have received on these subjects.

In geography the Inspector may require the children to point out on the map the places that they ought to know, and this with respect not only to places named in their geography lessons, but also with respect to places referred to in the lessons on history, on animals, on natural products, and on manufactures. The importance of bringing the several parts of the school course into mutual relation in this way cannot be overestimated ; the degree of success attained by the principal teacher in his endeavours to establish such a correlation of parts should weigh heavily with those who are called upon to form an estimate of his skill and efficiency, and upon it will depend in a high degree the development of the intelligence of his pupils.

20. It is to be remembered that in many ways the examination of a school has an important bearing on the morals of the children. They should be made to feel and understand that the Inspector is not a severe and frowning critic, bent on probing their ignorance and finding opportunity to put them to shame, but that he comes as a courteous and gentle friend, who will use his best skill to put them at their ease, and will invite them to give him proof of their diligence, and let him see what progress they are making ; and they should be taught to despise all showy tricks and arts of evasion, to show themselves frank and simple, and to avoid everything that is not in accordance with the strictest principles of honour.

21. The syllabus of class-subjects and additional subjects shall be the following :—